disabling automatic positioning for all elements at once?

• Jan 31, 2019 - 19:46

How do I disable "automatic positioning" as the default? I don't usually like the placements selected by the feature, and it is irritating and time consuming to have to open inspector and disable the feature for every element. By the way, I really appreciate what Musescore does, so I hesitate to complain, but this particular feature is driving me insane.


Comments

It would be helpful if you explained what you are trying to adjust that is not satisfactory. Perhaps the auto placement needs to be fixed for this, or there may be an easier way to achieve what you want.

In reply to by mike320

I play classical guitar. In MuseScore 3, often the finger number placements are awkward; usually the string number placements are awkward as are staff texts. I’ve tried repositioning these elements by selecting and using either drag and drop, or arrows. The former just moves the element back to the default position after I release it, and the latter doesn’t move it at all. So I open inspector, uncheck the auto positioning, close inspector, and then reposition the element by selecting and using either drag and drop, or arrows.

Now, in full disclosure, I’ve only used MuseScore 3 to edit an existing file because when I opened the file these elements were repositioned automatically and I have had to try to move them back where I had them in the old file. I haven’t yet used it on a new file, so I don’t know what my experience would be in that case. I suppose I could stick with MuseScore 2. It was working quite well for me. In any case MuseScore is a marvelous tool.

In reply to by MerwinBrown

There is a lot of work being done on guitar fingerings. When you open a version 2 file with a lot of changes is position, you should tell it that you do not want the positions to be reset, so it will look closer to what you want from the positioning. There will no doubt be changes in some positions, but they are expected to be closer to what it did in version 2.

The real test is to try it out from scratch in version 3. Marc Sabatella just added an easy fingering input mode that should make it easier. He consulted several guitar players to attempt to make the positioning correct. You can feel free to make comments in the forum if you find problems with this.

In reply to by MerwinBrown

"usually the string number placements are awkward as are staff texts. I’ve tried repositioning these elements by selecting and using either drag and drop, or arrows. The former just moves the element back to the default position after I release it, and the latter doesn’t move it at all. So I open inspector, uncheck the auto positioning, close inspector, and then reposition the element by selecting and using either drag and drop, or arrows."

+1. It's just a pain to be constraint going each time in Inspector to disabling automatic placement of such basing things. The feeling of having to fight against the program. The bad side of this feature.

In reply to by cadiz1

"I’ve tried repositioning these elements by selecting and using either drag and drop, or arrows. The former just moves the element back to the default position after I release it, and the latter doesn’t move it at all."

After having delved deeper into the subject, what happens here: unlike other elements (for example, chord symbols that can benefit from being placed Above or Below the staff in the Inspector), string numbers - probably forgotten, and surely a suggestion to be made in the Issue Tracker - do not benefit this setting.
Hence their return above the staff, when you want to move them with the mouse below the staff. Where, indeed, it should be their default location the most part of the time.

Sn.jpg Chord s.jpg

Nevertheless, to work around this, create a text style in Format/Style/Text styles/User-1 etc, could be done with a suitable "Y" setting. Unfortunately, from what I see now, the settings do not survive to a saving.

Second idea: customize a palette, by making a "fake" of the behavior of the left hand fingerings. Ex: enter the fingering Left Hand 1. In the Inspector, add a circle. And here's our first string number! And so on and so forth. All this is then installed in a palette. What I did here, you can load it, nammed Fingering Str(ings): Fingering Str.mpal

Ideally, when you enter (double-click), use arrows keys immediately - ie when still hightlighted - to move them as desired. Otherwise, in normal mode, since the number is a little stuck to the notehead, click rather on the left edge of the circle. And everything is fine: you can move it as you wish with the mouse above/below, or with arrows, in short, as before! (version2 I mean)

Finally, but this is not a trick. It is simply keeping the current behavior when you really use several string numbers in your score (about ten or more or much more). Then, after their selection (all similar elements), and by disabling automatic placement, it will be easy to use the Y/X settings in the Inspector to improve their placement. And then to do it individually if necessary.

In reply to by MerwinBrown

Hopefully you are finding the fingerings positioned much better in 3.0.2 and you are less likely to want to adjust them manually. Even when you do want to adjust them manually, however, you shouldn't need to disable autoplace. If you are finding manual adjustment not working for some particular fingering on some particular score, please attach the score and give us steps to reproduce the problem.

Meanwhile, if even after all this you still want to disable autoplace for all fingerings, just right click one, Select All Similar Elements, and see them go from looking good to bad in one stroke, and then you can adjust them all manually. Somehow I doubt this is really easier though.

Do you still have an unanswered question? Please log in first to post your question.